


Controlled Chaos

by Lady_Phenyx



Series: Fluffvember 2019 [4]
Category: Mumintroll | Moomins Series - Tove Jansson, 楽しいムーミン一家 | Moomin (Anime 1990)
Genre: Don't copy to another site, F/M, Good Parent Joxaren | The Joxter, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-04
Updated: 2019-11-04
Packaged: 2021-01-23 05:28:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,911
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21314920
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_Phenyx/pseuds/Lady_Phenyx
Summary: Joxter had only meant to volunteer to watch Snufkin while Mymblemamma was out, but he's ended up in charge of the entire Horde.Whoops.Fluffvember Day 4: Babysitting
Relationships: Joxaren | The Joxter/Mymlan | The Mymble
Series: Fluffvember 2019 [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1533602
Comments: 12
Kudos: 109





	Controlled Chaos

Joxter loved Mymblemamma's children, really, he did.

Quite a few of the ones he'd met when they'd first gotten together had grown and moved out, but Mymble Jr. and Little My were still around fairly often, and he was around often enough to pretty much be 'Joxterpappa' to the rest (including his own precious ball of fluff, and he tried not to show that Snufkin was his favorite, but, well, even with Snufkin this young they were already too alike for Snufkin not to be).

But they were...a Lot.

And he'd never dealt with them before without Mymblemamma around.

But this was one time even Mymblemamma recognized she couldn't take them with her...and the eldest children that usually would have taken on the task were also unavailable.

If he was going to be Joxter_pappa,_ well, it wasn't really babysitting for Joxter to watch all the kits for awhile, was it?

He'd only meant to watch Snufkin originally, but...when Mymblemamma had thought he meant all of them, she'd been so relieved he couldn't tell her that. He felt too guilty of having meant just Snufkin after her reaction, her misunderstanding what he'd meant to mean instead that he'd watch all of the kids, to even think of telling her.

He felt guilty just thinking it.

But now that he was alone with the children, the panic was setting in.

Don't let them see you sweat. They're like sharks. They smell fear, he told himself as he turned to face the Horde.

Two dozen eyes stared back at him – the Horde was at a relatively low point at the moment.

“...all right then. What does your mother usually do with you all day?”

“She lets us do whatever we want,” one child answered.

“We're feral,” another chimed in.

“That I can believe,” Joxter said, amused. “I've seen you at work.” He glanced over the lot of them again, shifting Snufkin in his arms. “Right. Well. Your mother didn't leave any instructions, so...let's try not to destroy anything, all right? I'm...” Joxter made a small noise as he thought, a little click of his tongue, and continued, “going to make some lunch for everyone. Anything I need to know ahead of time?”

There was a brief conference – Joxter had a feeling it was as much about if they were going to cooperate or put him to the test as it was about lunch – before they faced him again.

“Will it be fish stew?” one of the older children, apparently elected spokesperson while Little My was out, asked.

“It'll have to be for supper, it takes awhile,” Joxter countered.

There were nods at that, accepting it, though a few looked sulky at having to wait. Joxter was just thankful they were being reasonable and accepting what he'd said – he'd seen how they could be when they wanted to make someone's life difficult.

The group dissipated, heading off to their own amusements.

Well, that was how their normal day went, as far as Joxter knew, so he headed for the kitchen.

Snufkin was still the youngest, old enough to speak but only doing so when he felt like he had something to say, otherwise silent. He was much more like Joxter than Mymble, and Joxter wondered sometimes how long Snufkin would stay here before setting out on his own, unable to take the constant noise and people anymore.

For now, he was content to sit and listen as his father spoke, talking as he made sandwiches for the lunch and got the stew started, outlining how one made fish stew.

Some of the other children wandered in during the informal lesson, peering over counters to watch.

Joxter obligingly slowed down for their fascinated eyes, setting the stew to simmer. “Now we have to wait – stew has to simmer for a long time. Lunch is ready – tell the rest, will you?”

The ones watching nodded solemnly, taking their food and rushing to tell the rest.

There was a run on the kitchen then, the children rushing in to grab at their food and racing back outside to eat it.

It was less lunchtime and more a feeding frenzy, and Joxter jumped up to sit on the counter with Snufkin and watch.

“Did she seriously leave you in charge?” Little My demanded, appearing on the counter beside them, sandwich in hand.

“You're not old enough just yet,” Joxter said.

Little My snorted softly. “I can handle this horde,” she said dismissively.

Joxter chuckled. “I'm sure you can, but maybe you could funnel that into helping me, instead, second-in-command?”

Little My eyed him dubiously but preened at the title, enough that Joxter was fairly sure she'd at least not lead the other kids in open rebellion.

The horde dispersed after eating, returning to rinse off their plates and leaving them stacked on the counter.

Joxter suspected that was Mymble Jr.'s influence, not her mother's.

He loved his Mymblemamma, he truly did, but sometimes...

Well.

Joxter tried to nap at first, but kept being woken to settle arguments and soothe small pains. Most of the children were fiercely independent – they almost had to be, in a group this large – and they might not have bothered their mother about them, but Joxter, they would.

Given their mother's main method of breaking up arguments was a pitcher of water and Joxter's was to listen, maybe it shouldn't have been a surprise.

And much as he'd wish to nap, he had Snufkin to watch over, as he was still so small, too small to join in the others' games, even if he had wanted to. Most of them were so loud, Joxter had a feeling Snufkin wasn't going to be a fan.

The children kept calling out for Joxter's attention once they realized he'd wake up when they did, and finally he sat up properly to watch them, giving up on napping for today.

They called out and played, and Joxter called out encouragement at random. Occasionally children would wander over and lean on him for awhile, napping against him before rushing off again, energy renewed.

\---XXX---

The fish stew was a hit, at least. It disappeared quickly and many of them came back for seconds.

And after that came bedtime.

Bedtime was always a big thing in a house where there were so many children. By the time the youngest were down, it was time to get the next set into bed, and so on.

It was always a bit of a struggle, as what child wanted to go to bed?

Tonight, Joxter decided to try something else.

Bribery.

“So, if you get ready for bed without fuss, I've a new story for all of you,” he said to the twelve children watching him, not counting Little My and Snufkin.

“A story and at least one lullaby,” Little My countered.

Joxter considered and nodded. “Fair. There's a lot of you. Let's get started.”

Most of them could get ready on their own – they just needed a little help with buttons and the like.

The older ones helped the younger, as did Joxter, going around and helping where he was needed.

He wasn't sure what he was doing, but they were directing him and being surprisingly patient with his lack of knowledge.

After a minute of debating, Joxter whispered a suggestion to Little My, who beamed and started directing her siblings while Snufkin watched from Joxter's arms, fascinated.

Blankets and mattresses and pillows were dragged into the main room, and Joxter and Little My directed the others in constructing a massive pillow and blanket fort.

They all settled into it, piling on top of each other like puppies, staring at Joxter as he settled in, Snufkin on his lap.

Little My plopped down next to him, leaning on his leg, and several of the others took up similar positions.

“Any requests?” Joxter asked.

The children murmured, before shaking their heads.

“Okay...let me think...” Joxter said, looking at the blankets overhead. “How about...the story of the paper bag princess?”

They perked up, and Joxter leaned back against the sofa, settling in for a story, letting his voice pick up the cadence of storytelling as he began talking. He stroked Snufkin's hair as he spoke, changing to the other children who pressed against him with his free hand.

The story finished, Joxter took a sip of his water as the children sighed.

Little My poked him. “Song?”

Joxter ran his hand over her hair, braided for the night. “Okay, I promised.” He thought for a moment, scanning through the songs he knew.  _All Small Beasts _ was too energetic for this time of night, maybe...

“_Come by the hills to the land where fancy is free, and stand where the peaks meet the sky and the loughs meet the sea..._”

Many of the children started to nod off as he sang. More of them toppled over as he went into the second song, piling on top of Joxter and each other.

Joxter himself fell asleep during the third, drifting off with his arms around the children.

\---XXX---

Mymblemamma closed the door as quietly as possible. She paused, looking at the large pile of blankets and pillows in the living room in confusion.

Creeping over, she carefully lifted one of the draped blankets and pressed a paw to her mouth, stifling a coo.

Inside, her children were piled on top of each other, but most of them were lying on top of and piled around the sleeping Joxter, who was curled up around Snufkin and Little My, purring softly in his sleep.

Her heart felt so full it could burst, and Mymblemamma sat down just inside the fort to watch them sleep, her paw stroking Joxter's hair.

Oh, she loved them all so much.

\---XXX---

She was struck again by how perfect a mate her Joxter was when he and the Horde disappeared two days later, leaving only the youngest – Snufkin and two other children only a few years older than him – with her.

They left no note, no directions, and she should have been worried.

Maybe she was, just a little. But, she reminded herself, she loved Joxter. She trusted him. He wouldn't knowingly lead them to harm.

Then they reappeared as the sun began to set in the sky. Scraped up, filthy, with leaves in their hair and fruit in their packs, and tales of a park keeper who had tried to fence off part of the forest, tried to take land that didn't belong to him, and how they'd wrecked his fence and the park he'd tried to make.

How they'd left the original park alone and only destroyed the expansion. Of how they'd snuck off after Joxter when he was going and took his note with them.

Of how the law was on their side for this one, as the only police officer who'd come on the scene as they fled had winked at them when the park keeper couldn't see.

The grin Joxter gave her as the children bounced around her, their voices overlapping as they gave their stories, was the slightest bit sheepish around the smug victory.

Little My's wasn't sheepish at all.

And Mymblemamma laughed and laughed until she cried.

They'd never bonded with one of her lovers like this before...and she had a feeling this batch was about to become holy terrors the likes of which she'd never created before.

**Author's Note:**

> [The Story of the Paper Bag Princess](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFEWh1zjdTA)
> 
> [Come By The Hills (aka the song I referenced](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NYB4z7VS8U)


End file.
